Film Analysis: The Hurt Locker

The first 10 seconds of the film are very unsteady and low to the ground. This gives the viewer the point of view of the small remote operated vehicle later shown in the scene. The camera zooms out to show the vehicle moving past frantic people. The movements and zoom of the camera are quick and sharp, which adds to the panicked, chaotic mood of the scene. Several times, the camera zooms and focuses briefly on a specific object. A few times throughout the scene on the small vehicle, once on the machine gun on top of a tank. The zoom draws the viewer's focus to emphasize what is being shown. The camera jumps from shot to shot, adding to the rising tension being shown on screen. The angle of the camera shots are almost always shot upwards from the ground, or from quite high up, as if sitting on a roof. These angles make me feel as though I'm trying to stay out of sight, or hiding. The scene then switches from the panicked street to several solders watching through the camera on the remote operated vehicle. The first angle gives the impression of looking over the controller's shoulder. The camera zooms close to the controllers' faces to show the tension of the situation. The camera then shifts between shots of the solder's eyes, hands, and the point of view of the vehicle camera. The zooms show the tension of the situation and cause the viewer to focus on what the filmmakers see as the most important parts.